Iowa Speedway

Iowa Speedway

"Rusty Wallace Signature Series Track"
Location Newton, Iowa
Time zone GMT-6
Capacity 30,000 [1]
Owner U.S. Motorsport Entertainment Corp.
Operator Iowa Speedway
Broke ground June 21, 2005
Opened September 15, 2006
Construction cost $70 million
Architect Paxton Waters Architecture
Rusty Wallace
Former names Quad Cities International Raceway Park (planning stages name)
Major events IRL IndyCar Series
Iowa Corn Indy 250
NASCAR Nationwide Series
Iowa John Deere Dealers 250
U.S. Cellular 250
NASCAR Camping World Truck Series
Lucas Oil 200
IRL Firestone Indy Lights
Iowa 100
ARCA RE/MAX Series
Prairie Meadows 250 (2007)
Grand-Am Rolex Sports Car Series
Iowa 400 (2007)
ARCA RE/MAX Series
Prairie Meadows 200
D-shaped oval
Surface Asphalt
Length 0.875 mi (1.4 km)
Turns 4
Banking Turns: 12°-14°
Frontstretch: 10°
Backstretch: 4°
Lap record 17.4908 (Ryan Briscoe, Penske Racing, 2008, IRL IndyCar Series)
Road Course
Surface Asphalt
Length 1.3 mi (2.09 km)
Turns 9
Banking Turns 1-2: 12-14°
Frontstretch: 10°
Backstretch: 4°
Lap record 41.709 (Jon Fogarty, GAINSCO/Bob Stallings Racing, 2007, Daytona Prototype)

Iowa Speedway is a 7/8-mile (1.4 km) paved oval motor racing track in Newton, Iowa, United States, approximately 30 miles (48 km) east of Des Moines. The track was designed with influence from Rusty Wallace and patterned after Richmond International Raceway, a short track where Wallace was very successful. It has over 25,000 permanent seats as well as a unique multi-tiered Recreational Vehicle viewing area along the backstretch.

Contents

History

The track opened in September 2006 with the Soy Biodiesel 250, won by Woody Howard, for the USAR Hooters Pro Cup Four Champions playoff. The Indy Racing League announced a race there on June 24, 2007, the Iowa Corn Indy 250, which was won by Dario Franchitti, who barely nipped Marco Andretti at the finish line. The track has secured a combined NASCAR Camping World East-West race where results will count towards both series' championships.[2] That race delivered a dramatic battle between 17-year old Joey Logano from the Busch East Series, who defeated Daytona 500 champion Kevin Harvick, 1998 West Series champion, who represented the West Series at the end of the race. The track was awarded a NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race and a Nationwide Series race in 2009.

Ownership change

On July 5, 2011 it was announced that the Manatt family, builders and primary owners of the Iowa Speedway through the holding company U.S. Motorsports Corporation, had sold their majority interest to the Clement family, owners of Featherlite, Incorporated.[3] It was our privilege to help build the track five years ago, and like a proud parent, we've enjoyed watching it thrive and grow said company president Brad Manatt. Featherlite Incorporated already has a long standing relationship with NASCAR. Many race teams use Featherlite Trailers and Featherlite Coaches for the transport of cars and staff. Rusty Wallace will remain a minority owner in the track.[4]

Other events

The facility also hosts several driving schools year-round, such as Richard Petty Driving Experience, where visitors have the opportunity to experience the speedway from behind the wheel of a race car.

Winners

Indycar Series

[5]

Year Winner Team
2007 Dario Franchitti Andretti Green Racing
2008 Dan Wheldon Chip Ganassi Racing
2009 Dario Franchitti Chip Ganassi Racing
2010 Tony Kanaan Andretti Autosport
2011 Marco Andretti Andretti Autosport

Indy Lights

[5]

Year Winner Team
2007 Alex Lloyd Sam Schmidt Motorsports
2008 Dillon Battistini Panther Racing
2009 Ana Beatriz Sam Schmidt Motorsports
2010 Sebastian Saavedra Bryan Herta Autosport
2011 Josef Newgarden Sam Schmidt Motorsports

NASCAR Nationwide Series

[5]

Year Winner Team Manufacturer
2009 Brad Keselowski JR Motorsports Chevrolet
2010 Kyle Busch Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota
2011 May Ricky Stenhouse, Jr. Roush Fenway Racing Ford
2011 August Ricky Stenhouse, Jr. Roush Fenway Racing Ford

Camping World Truck Series

[5]

Year Winner Team Manufacturer
2009 Mike Skinner Randy Moss Motorsports Toyota
2010 Austin Dillon Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet
2011 Matt Crafton ThorSport Racing Chevrolet

ARCA Racing Series

[5]

Year Winner Team
2006 Steve Wallace Rusty Wallace Racing
2007 Frank Kimmel Larry Clement Racing
2008 Matt Hawkins Fred Hawkins
2009 Parker Kligerman Mark Gibson
2010 Tom Hessert Cunningham Motorsports
2011 Ty Dillon Richard Childress Racing

References

External links